Cassoulesque
 
 
* To speed up bean rehydration, bring the cannellini beans (and same water quantity) to a full rolling boil in a large pot; cover and let stand off heat for one hour. You can change the meats up if you like. We’ve used lamb shoulder in place of the pork butt, lamb sausage for the Andouille, and we’ve even subbed in store-bought roast duck for the chicken.
by:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds dried cannelini beans
  • 2 whole chicken leg/thighs, skin removed
  • 2 pounds pork butt, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 6 andouille or hot Italian sausage links
  • 6 strips thick bacon
  • 2 large yellow onions, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, diced
  • 3 medium celery stalks, diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons pimenton (smoked paprika)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed in your hand
  • 1 teaspoon pepper flakes
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
  1. Soak beans in 3 quarts of water in a large bowl 8 hours or overnight*; drain and rinse
  2. Sprinkle chicken and pork chunks with salt and pepper; set aside.
  3. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Fry bacon until almost crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan and add sausages; sauté until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes; remove from pan. When cool enough to handle, cut sausages and bacon into 2-inch pieces. Add chicken to empty hot pan and cook, turning once, until well browned on both sides; 6 to 8 minutes; remove from pan and set aside. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add pork chunks to pan; cook turning once or twice until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes per batch.
  4. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of fat; add onions, carrots, and celery; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, pimenton, thyme, and pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add rosemary, bay leaves, and wine; simmer until wine is reduced by half, several minutes.
  5. Add beans, pork chunks, chicken, and enough water to cover, 6 to 7 cups. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered, until beans and pork are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove chicken and when cool enough to handle, separate meat from bones. Add tomatoes to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. Pour bean mixture into a large roasting pan. Add sausages, bacon, and chicken to the pan. (Can be covered and refrigerated a couple of days; return to room temperature.)
  7. About an hour before serving, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix breadcrumbs, parsley, oil, and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle crumbs over casserole; bake until casserole is bubbly and crumbs are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let stand a few minutes and then serve.
Recipe by Three Many Cooks at https://threemanycooks.com/recipes/meaty-mains/cassoulesque/